Silver Lined

by Stephanie Taylor

  As he rowed the small blow-up raft to shore, his laughter taunted her all the way.

  Chapter Three

  “As I was saying,” Ella said as she squished to shore in her waterlogged shoes and dripping clothes, “This island is about twelve thousand, one hundred and thirty-eight acres with raw vegetation. Tons of palm trees, coconut trees, banana trees, you name it. You saw the bay as we came in. A great place to build a small marina for the Silver Lining, as well as a dock for fishing.”

  Between breaths, Linc interrupted her. “Does it make you feel better talking it all out? I told you I already know about the island.”

  “I’m doing my job, Lincoln. You shouldn’t have asked me to come if you didn’t want me to explain anything.” Turning with her hands behind her back, pretending to inspect the island around her even as her thighs rubbed together in her wet slacks, she continued, “An oil heiress from Peru owned this island, but unfortunately, she passed from a terminal illness before she could civilize the land. It belongs to her estate now, and her family is asking that the owner simply make it what the heiress had envisioned, which is a home.”

  “Agnes,” Linc said quietly.

  “What?”

  “Her name was Agnes San Martin. I knew her well.”

  “You’ve never mentioned an Agnes to me.”

  Linc turned to her, his gaze hard and unrelenting. “Maybe you never asked.”

  “Who was she to you?”

  Linc took a deep breath. “Like a mother to me. We met when I was on business in Brazil. I’ve known her for about ten years.

  “I’m sorry,” was all Ella could think to say. It was times like this that she wondered how much of his life she’d ever been a part of. Seemed like there were a lot of holes in what she thought she knew about her ex.

  Linc shoved his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts and shrugged. “She lived a good life. Begged me to buy this island and make her dream come true. I’m just not sure how much I want this.”

  “I’m sure Sheena will love it.”

  For a moment, their eyes met. Something was between them, something unspoken and raw. Something Ella refused to touch with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.

  Ella turned away, determined not to let him get to her. Commission, commission, commission. “There’s supposed to be a perfect area at the top of the mountain at the north end of the island to put a heli-pad or a small landing strip for a Cessna. With a good architect, you could probably fit them both. I know they were on your wish list a few years ago.”

  Ack! Why did she keep bringing up the past? She had to let go. Linc was with Sheena now and no matter how unfortunate her name might be, she was sure the woman had at least some redeemable qualities for Linc to want to marry her.

  “Can we walk the perimeter of the island before we go?” he asked. “Just to get the feel of it?”

  “Of course. After you,” she said, putting on her most professional, coldest smile. She had to admit it was hard to do when her shoes made a farting noise and her hair drooped around her ears. And staying icy and professional was the last thing on her mind as she took up the rear behind Linc. The man was built like a tank. A tank with unbelievable glutes.

  Clearing her throat, she lowered her gaze and marched forward.

  Commission, commission, commission.

  ****

  As Linc came around the north end of the island, something didn’t feel right. The island had a bay and a hill he supposed could be considered a mountain, but the layout had mentioned hot springs and a waterfall, neither of which he saw or heard. Most of the island remained unexplored, but there was no way this island was over twelve thousand acres. A few hundred maybe, but definitely not thousands. Had they landed on the wrong island? What were the chances?

  Linc tried to remain calm. Not only might they be on the wrong island, but he smelled rain. Off in the distance a nasty storm brewed. There was no way they could outrun it even if they left now. Not to mention it would take a couple of hours to get back to the bay. Ella hadn’t noticed yet, being the cold shell of a woman she was, but it wouldn’t take her long to notice they were in trouble.

  The hill area was their safest bet to take shelter, just in case there were any surges that might cause harm. Without a word, he turned in the direction they should go.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, stopping in her tracks.

  He shrugged. As long as she didn’t panic, they were fine. He was panicking enough for both of them. Even if the storm wasn’t as bad as he thought, his boat was anchored in an uncharted area. It would be weeks before someone could survey the land and tell him the safest place to dock. The rocks just past the bay meant there could be some just below the surface that he couldn’t see. And if they really had landed on the wrong island, that left even more unknowns.

  “I thought I’d look at that mountain over there. I bet there are caves.”

  “Whoa. You said walk the perimeter, not hike. And in case you didn’t notice, I’m a little uncomfortable walking in these shoes and wet clothes.”

  Oh, he’d noticed her wet clothes all right. He hadn’t thought things through when he pushed her into the ocean. Those clothes clung to her like a second skin, reminding him of all the areas he’d once loved to kiss.

  He gnashed his teeth. He should probably tell her about the storm. Linc walked back to her, pointing in the distance. “There’s a storm coming. A bad one.”

  “What?” Her face sobered as her gaze followed his finger.

  “I want us to get to high ground, just in case. Sooner rather than later. See the erosion pattern in the sand over there? That’s high tide. That’s also over half the island.” Either his serious tone or his no-nonsense gaze told her not to argue. She simply nodded and didn’t protest when he took her hand to hurry her along.

  “And now probably isn’t the time to tell you I don’t think we’re on the right island.”

  Ella’s hand wrenched from his. “You’re kidding.”

  “I set the right coordinates and used the GPS. This is where the listing said the island is, but it doesn’t match the description. Agnes told me all about it. I’m all but positive this isn’t it.”

  Thunder boomed. Enough to shake the ground. Linc’s heart melted a little when Ella stepped closer to him. At least she still felt safe with him. That was a good sign.

  “Let’s just get up there, and we can wait the storm out. Unfortunately I don’t think we’ll make it back to the mainland tonight. We can sleep on the boat if we have to. I just wish I had thought to bring a few things with me.”

  “You didn’t look at the weather before we left?”

  Linc sighed. “No. I’m in between business trips, so I thought it would be a good time to do this. Weather wasn’t really on my mind since it was an impromptu call this morning.”

  Ella humphed. She didn’t have to say anything for him to know what she was thinking. “I know, okay? I should have been more careful.”

  Still, she said nothing as they trudged uphill through the jungle-like vegetation. When they were finally high enough to settle Linc’s nerves some, he stopped walking and turned to her.

  Beads of sweat ran down her face and each step she took to keep up with him made her grimace. He looked at her feet and saw a trail of blood down the back of her off-white shoes.

  “Ella! Why didn’t you tell me you were bleeding?”

  He sat her down right where they were and eased her shoe off. She tried to tug her foot away, but he shot her a glare.

  “It’s fine. Let’s keep going. You know how much I hate storms.”

  He did know. But he couldn’t, in good conscience, allow her to walk anymore on shoes that had shredded her heels to resemble hamburger meat.

  “You can’t walk like this, Ella. I won’t let you.” His voice had softened.

  With a strength he didn’t know she possessed, her foot made contact with his chest and shoved him flat on his back.

  “I can and I wi
ll walk, Lincoln. Don’t you dare use that tone with me.”

  He couldn’t help but grin at her all fired up. The sparks of fire he saw in her eyes had always led to some heated arguments between them… and some heated make-ups. The grin fell from his face as he centered his gaze on her mouth. The mouth that had done some wicked things to him and gave him a physical and emotional pleasure he’d never experienced before. Or since.

  Sheena was his fiancée, but it was Ella he still dreamed of at night. Still hoped to catch a glimpse of her when he was in town. It wasn’t fair to ask Sheena to marry him when he had unresolved feelings for Ella, but he’d been the one to end it with her, after all. What choice did he have but to move on?

  He had another choice, he realized, as he snuck a glance at Ella, who was easing her way back into her shoes. Her hair was beginning to dry after her earlier swim, but her clothes were still clinging in all the right places. His mouth watered just looking at her.

  Linc powered ahead, stopping only for a split second to scoop her up in his arms.

  “What the—”

  “Hush. High ground, then you can beat me up.”

  The rain was just starting to fall as they reached the summit of the small mountain. Lightning was striking the water only a few miles away. Linc shuddered. He wasn’t all that fond of storms either. Especially when they looked as dangerous as that one. Already the whitecaps were surging below them and the wind howled.

  Linc looked around desperately. Beneath his fingers, Ella’s pulse pounded in time with the surf. He urged her head against his shoulder like he might a small child.

  In the distance, he saw a thick patch of vegetation he thought would make a good shelter. At least for now. He made his way to it, slipping a little on some trailing mud.

  Linc gently placed Ella underneath the vegetation and crawled in beside her. She shivered violently. Without a second thought, he opened his arms to her and pulled her close, rubbing her arms briskly with his palms. Ella leaned into him, sharing her own warmth.

  Holding her this close brought back a myriad of feelings in that moment. She felt so perfect in his arms, so small and right. He wanted to protect her from men like himself, hold her close until the chill in her eyes went away. He once loved the happiness and warmth there. Now she was frigid, aloof.

  Was he the reason she’d become like this? Had she cared more than he’d realized?

  “Ella,” he whispered, his hands slowing their journey.

  “Don’t,” she chattered behind clenched teeth. “Don’t get sentimental on me now. You’re practically a married man.”

  “Ella,” he tried again, this time his voice was stronger, surer.

  “No,” she spat and pulled free from him. Even with the rain coming down in sheets, her makeup streaked, and her skin taking on a blue tint from the cold, she was still beautiful. Still his Ella.

  Still the woman he loved.

  Linc looked away. If she saw him right now, she’d know. She’d see clear through him just like she always had.

  “This was your choice, Linc,” she was saying, snapping him out of his reverie. “Don’t make things complicated. We always had physical. There is no way we’re going back there. I won’t let you do that to Sheena.”

  He couldn’t look at her. The old Ella would have shied away then ultimately caved to him with a wicked smile on her face as she kissed him first. He didn’t know this Ella. A part of him didn’t want to. But a part of him yearned to know every new little part of her, even if it was painful.

  Even if it meant losing her all over again.

  Chapter Four

  When the storm finally reduced to rumbling thunder and sprinkles, Ella and Linc made their way back to the boat. It was nearing dinnertime, and Linc climbed a tree to bring down a handful of green bananas.

  “I don’t suppose there’s a grocery story on this island? I could really go for some ripe bananas. And maybe a soda.” Ella wondered silently if they’d be able to go home tonight. The storm had moved quickly, even though it was a large one.

  “There’s some soda left on the boat. We can get back tonight and sleep there. At least there’s food.”

  They continued to walk for what felt like hours. Once the terrain leveled out, Ella felt comfortable enough to remove her shoes so as not to make the blisters on her heels worse. The trek had been a painful one.

  Just as the setting sun peeked from being the storm clouds, the boat came into view. Ella and Linc gasped in unison.

  “Linc!” Ella cried. “It’s sinking!”

  Linc fell into a dead run, splashing into the water and finally diving and swimming straight to his yacht. Ella wasn’t sure what she thought he could accomplish. Already the boat was listing on its side precariously, farther inland than Linc had anchored it. Had the storm been that strong?

  He climbed aboard and looked back to her, motioning wildly with his arms, then cupping his hands around his mouth.

  She strained to hear him, but finally the word “raft” floated to her ears.

  Ella looked around for the yellow raft, but didn’t see it. She held her arms up in a shrug to Linc, but he pointed behind her. It was in the bushes, almost completely buried in the brush. She lifted it, finding half of it was deflated.

  Still, it was better than nothing. Ella ran into the surf with the raft then dove in, doing her best to make sure she didn’t lose the only boat they had left.

  “We’ve got to save the supplies below deck,” Linc called. It’s taking on water faster than I can rescue anything.” Ella struggled to climb the ladder hanging at an awkward angle due to the way the ship leaned. She saw a small stack of supplies Linc had already retrieved.

  “Help me,” he called. The urgency in his voice told her this wasn’t just a pesky leak and the sight before her when she went below deck caused her to gasp. At least three feet of water covered everything. A few supplies floated on top and she grabbed those, stuffing them in her shirt so she wouldn’t lose them.

  Linc was diving like a mad man, coming up for air only to hand her what he found. Canned goods, a few sodas, MRE’s. Apparently he was stocked for a few days at sea.

  When they came above deck again, he ran to the helm and opened up a cabinet. “Put these on the raft. We might need it for sanitation or keeping warm.” Three bottles of hard liquor lay in his outstretched hands along with a single fleece blanket.

  Ella turned and began piling things on the raft. By the time they were done, there was no room for them, only what they’d salvaged.

  “Can you swim?” Linc asked her, climbing overboard and dropping into the water. If they lingered anymore on the ship, they’d be sucked down with it. Fortunately, Ella didn’t think it would be completely submerged underwater. Linc had anchored it in a shallow part of the bay, which was most likely why it was sinking.

  “I can do it. Let’s get these supplies to shore.” She cringed when the salt water hit her heels.

  With a nod to Linc, they both swam to shore, keeping the supplies as dry as possible, which was difficult considering all the rain they’d gotten during the storm and the raft was only half inflated.

  Linc heaved the raft up on the shore, then squatted, his elbows on his knees.

  “I’m sorry about your boat,” Ella said, sitting down beside him.

  He looked up and out toward what she knew was his prized possession. “The boat is the least of my worries right now.”

  “What can I do?”

  “Tell me you told someone where we were going today.”

  Ella swallowed thickly. “No one was at work yet when I left for the marina. You didn’t tell anyone?”

  Linc simply shook his head and fell back into a sitting position.

  Panic rose hot and swift in Ella’s chest. “So you’re telling me that you didn’t tell anyone we were coming here today? I didn’t tell anyone. Your boat just sank. Our raft has deflated and we’re possibly on the wrong island?”

  “Not possibly, we are on the wrong
island. I’m not sure what happened, but this isn’t the island Agnes told me about.”

  “So we’re stranded. On a deserted island.” Ella couldn’t help it. She started laughing. She laughed so hard she snorted and fell back onto the sand, singing the “Gilligan’s Island” theme song.

  “You think this is funny?” he asked, not even cracking a smile.

  “This is kind of hilarious. This doesn’t happen in the 21st century!”

  “Apparently it does!” he yelled, kicking some sand.

  “Aww, Lincoln,” she chided in a condescending voice, “Don’t worry. We’ll be back to see your little Sheena Weena in no time. We’re probably in a direct flight pattern with Delta or something. We’ll build a fire, gather drift wood to spell something… isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?”

  Abruptly he turned on her, glaring down. “This isn’t about Sheena. It’s about you and me. We don’t know what’s on this island. We don’t even know where we are. I could have reversed the coordinates for all I know.”

  “You’re upset you lost your boat. I get it. I’d be upset too. In fact, I’m a little upset myself you lost a million dollar boat. But I’m sure you have insurance and enough in reserves to get another one.” Ella stood, brushing the sand off her wet behind.

  “This isn’t about the boat. I could have fifty of them if I wanted.”

  “So it’s really that bad having to share a deserted island with me?”

  Linc glared. If he’d been some paranormal creature, she’d have turned to ash right then.

  “Actually, that is part of it. I don’t know who you are anymore, Ella. You’re cold and unfeeling. For all I know you could murder me in my sleep.”

  Ella smiled sweetly at him. “Don’t tempt me.”

  “Shut up,” he growled, tunneling his fingers through his hair and letting out a violent huff.

  “Better yet, maybe I’ll find my own side of the island to dwell. That way you can be free of me. It’s not like we have anything in common anyway.” Ella gathered her soggy purse and started walking, trying not to recall that bitter night when he’d uttered those words to her. But it was true. They really didn’t have much in common.